Vol. 445 No. 6
470 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Education if she will give details of the education programmes in schools relating to drug abuse; and whether she has satisfied herself with the development of these programmes to date. [348/94]
A major programme of substance abuse education for post-primary schools has been developed jointly by the Departments of Education and Health in conjunction with the Mater Dei Counselling Centre, Clonliffe Road, Dublin 3, with support from the Commission of the EU. This programme will be disseminated, as a resource, on a phased basis, to post-primary schools generally after 18 October next. The programme will be available to all post-primary schools having a teacher(s) who has (have) training in participatory methods appropriate to social, personal and health education. Training programmes have been held during the last school year at 15 locations throughout the country in preparation for this dissemination and will be continued during the current school year. The programme has been evaluated externally with positive outcomes.
In addition to this major initiative, general programmes in social, personal and health education have been developed and are being implemented in both primary and post-primary schools with support from certain of the regional health boards. This has occurred, in particular, in the areas of the North-Western, Western, Mid-western, Southern and South-Eastern Health Boards. All such programmes include modules on substance abuse.
I am satisfied with the developments which are taking place. The health education programme at the primary school level, including substance abuse education, is being reviewed by a committee of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, taking into account the experience of the programmes developed in conjunction with regional health boards.
